State Board of Missions backs marriage protection amendment; hears results of legislative monitoring

By Barbara Denman
June 6, 2008

LEESBURG (FBC)—Actions designed to influence the culture of the state of Florida with the claims of Christ were approved during business conducted by the 99-member State Board of Missions meeting May 30 at Lake Yale Baptist Conference Center in Leesburg.

The Florida Baptist State Convention’s governing body approved a recommendation to develop an awareness campaign to help Florida Baptists understand constitutional amendments and turn out the vote in the Nov. 4, 2008, general election.

Most specifically, the Board plans to address the proposed marriage protection amendment that seeks to define marriage in Florida as exclusively between a man and a woman, effectively banning same sex marriages.

The Board also will financially back their beliefs, authorizing the Convention to propose a funding package during its next meeting for the organization leading the “Yes2Marriage” initiative which would promote the successful passage of the amendment.

The Board also cited two additional proposed amendments of interest to Florida Baptists: Amendment 7—Blaine Amendment Repeal; and Amendment 9—School Vouchers. Both amendments if approved would permit government funding to support religious organizations and parochial schools. Such funding is at odds with Baptists’ historical position on separation of church and state.

The Board heard a status report on Florida Baptists’ legislative monitoring during 2008. The recently concluded legislative session was dominated by the lawmakers’ attempts to balance the budget with a projected $4 billion loss in tax revenues due to the sluggish economy. In the Board’s Program Committee meeting, Florida Baptist legislative consultant Bill Bunkley explained that the state’s gambling industry proposed a number of bills to expand gambling to provide additional tax revenue. However, he said, House Speaker Mario Rubio successfully led the fight to stop or slow down the gambling industry’s initiatives.

The Board learned that due to budgetary constraints, the legislature cut funding for prison chaplains that will seriously curtail many Christian-based prison ministry efforts, reported Bunkley. A piece of good news in the budget struggle, however, was the provision of $2 million in assistance to crisis pregnancy centers that provide vital services for women and children.

Other failed legislation of interest to Florida Baptists included a proposal for homosexuals to adopt children; a proposal to permit public school teachers to teach alternate theories of evolution without penalty; and an arboriculture bill which would have prevented volunteers from helping after a disaster.

In other related concerns, the Board endorsed a resolution recognizing the first day of hurricane season, June 1 as a Day of Prayer, sponsored by Daniel Webster, (R-Winter Garden) and member of First Baptist Church of Central Florida in Orlando. An amendment to the original resolution to include the words “In Jesus Name” submitted by Joel Breidenbaugh, pastor of Corner Stone Baptist Church in Panama City Beach, won approval. Board members learned that Florida Baptist churches had been called to prayer that day through the Convention’s Prayer and Spiritual Awakening Department.

In other action, the Board approved a 10-year Cooperative Agreement with First Baptist Church of Jacksonville to provide classroom space for the Convention’s theological education program for Jacksonville-area students. Across the state more than 1,000 students are enrolled in some type of Convention-sponsored theological education program in conjunction with New Orleans Theological Seminary and The Baptist College of Florida.

Reporting on the Convention’s implementation of the Strategic Plan for 2007, Glen Owens, associate executive director, told the Board that 97 percent of 179 identified goals were attempted by the Convention staff. He further explained that 67 percent of the goals were met or exceed as determined by numeric or quantitative assessment. Objectives of the strategic plan include promoting evangelism/believer development; starting new churches; developing biblical servant leaders; and providing customized mission and ministry resources.

Owens said during the past five years, a “growing tendency of churches” is to request Convention employees to provide individual consultations “to determine if the congregations are meeting unique needs in their communities.” In 2007, approximately 20,000 individuals participated in these consultations provided by Convention staff.

In continuing belt-tightening efforts, three staff positions were eliminated pending retirement of personnel serving in those responsibilities. Positions eliminated were: associate director, Church Music Department; director, Discipleship and Family Department; and associate director, Stewardship Department. Support staff to these positions will be reassigned to other Convention responsibilities. This is just one of several cost-saving measures instituted by the Convention to offset a million dollar shortfall in 2007 Cooperative Program receipts. Earlier this year, a hiring freeze left vacant six Board-elected and two support staff positions.

The Board also revised the interest rate of four Convention loan programs designed to help new and struggling congregations. The new loan rate will be the prime rate plus 2.5 percent—not to exceed eight percent. Previously congregations paid eight percent in interest rates to borrow money from the Convention. Affected loan programs are: Church Loan Fund; New Work Revolving Loan Fund; Emergency Loan Fund; and Church Revitalization Loan Fund.

In budget matters, the Board learned that that 2007 financial audit conducted by Batts, Morrison, Wales and Lee, P.A., an Orlando firm specializing non-profit organizations, resulted in the Convention receiving an unqualified report—the highest level of grading available.

The Board also received an update on renovations at the South Florida Urban Impact Ministry Center in Hialeah. A summary was given of the $506,607 in expenditures being used for the remodeling and renovation of First Baptist Church of Hialeah, which donated the facilities to the Convention. Construction is expected to be completed by the September Board meeting.

The Board learned that 29 Florida Baptist congregations for three consecutive years failed to contribute the minimum $250 through the Cooperative Program and provide the Annual Church Profile statistical summary. Such inaction violates the Florida Baptist State Convention’s Bylaw 2 requirements on cooperation. Board members instructed Convention staff to contact these churches and report during the next meeting.

During the discussion, Dennis Littleton, representing the Brevard Association, asked Convention staff to discuss the churches’ delinquency with their respective association director of missions.

The next Board meeting is Sept. 25-26 at Blue Springs Baptist Conference Center.